The Decline
by GuyOphir39
Summary: The Imperium has rotten slowly, stretching out the 41M millennium and the end times for too long (Games Workshop looking at you). But the end times have finally come and the Imperium will find itself plunging into a dark and terrible night, desperately trying to survive till dawn... (This is a W.I.P with much more to come). Would really appreciate comments\criticism!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: Hello everyone! thank you for finding my completely-temporary Label as interesting enough to read.  
This isn't the first story I've written in the 40K universe (and I'm a huge fan of the 40K universe and it's lore) but it is the first I have published anywhere (not considering my friends' Email accounts, that is...), and specifically in FanFiction. I have decided for the first upload to put almost everything I have written into a single chapter, although that might change if I see that breaking it down makes more sense (and of course if any of the reviews suggests anything helpful in that regard !). Consider this piece a W.I.P, subject to change as I familiarize myself with this platform. Also, just as a hint, this stuff is mostly just background for the actual story... but I won't spoil it too much.**

 **As a final note, if anyone who might read this is a 40K nerd of epic proportions (and I say this with the utmost respect) to know that the dating method I use is actually wrong as far as in game lore goes then you have my sincere apologies. For the sake of the story, it makes more sense to use a dating system where the first three numbers are days, the middle three numbers are years, and to the right is the Millenium number.**

 **So, without further adieu, this is the tale of the decline, and uncertain future, of the Imperium of Man.**

 **The decline**

 **-364.999.M41-** Abaddon the Despoiler, Warmaster of Chaos, completes the first part of his grand plan to overthrow the Imperium, a plan he calls the "Crimson Path".

Having spent the past centuries secretly recruiting hand-picked Chaos Space Marines, Abaddon finally has the numbers to unleash a new invasion upon the Imperium - this one composed of only the hardest, most veteran warriors of chaos, those who resisted the mutating touch of the warp and came out stronger.

The Warmaster carefully selected sixty-six individuals, many from the old Justaerin honor guard of the Luna Wolves Legion, to serve as his trusted lieutenants and advisors. They were tasked with creating warbands of their own, themselves composed of handpicked warriors held to the same standards as the Justaerin themselves. Although numbering less than eight hundred Chaos Space Marines in total, spread out in sixty-six warbands of varying size, these "New Justaerin" represent the very tip of the spear and the final gamble of the Warmaster to throw down the hated Imperium.

 **-001.000.M42-** Abaddon brings about the second part of the "Crimson Path". While the 13th Black Crusade descends upon the cadian gate and the Imperium distracted, Reality is torn in the middle of the Segmentum Tempestus, birthing a new warp rift opens - the Crimson Scar, manifesting in the exact opposite position to the legendary Eye of Terror. While far smaller than its counterpart, the Crimson Scar's creation came as total surprise to the Imperium - not even the enigmatic Eldar prophesied the event.

 **-002.000.M42-** the Tau Empire forces lash out in a series of military invasion, appearing to abandon their usual methods of diplomacy and pacification in favor of all-out conquest.

On holy Terra, the God Emperor sits in the slowly malfunctioning Golden Throne, his body nothing but a shriveled skeleton. As the Imperial Tarot predicts that the dark and terrible 'time of ending' has begun, the Emperor stirs on his throne and weeps.

 **-031.000.M42-** A month and a day after the Crimson Scars' opening, patrol fleet Raegars' Sword has translated back to normal space in the system. Consisting of the Mars battlecruiser Raegars' Sword as a command ship and a combination of several frigates and destroyers as escorts, the fleet was sent to investigate the area after every astropath and navigator in the sub-sector had reported sensing the same thing - a "great, blood-red maw tearing in the fabric of reality".

within minutes of translating out from the warp, most of the patrol fleet had been destroyed, existing as an expanding cloud of superheated fragments.

Aboard the critically damaged Raegars' Sword, the last surviving astropath managed to send a single pict capture of their doom across the warp: a chaos armada, painted in black and red, each vessel proudly carrying the eight-pointed star of chaos undivided.

Every psyker in the nearest systems, from psychically touched human children, born in the polluted lower levels of a hive to trained Eldar farseers had intercepted the message. the weaker psykers had their minds blasted and their souls forever tainted black. The stronger and better-trained psykers could decipher the message with greater safety, though many perished upon seeing the image, or willingly took their own lives. those who survived (and remained sane) reported the space around this demonic fleet painted in a deep blood red color, bleeding warp energy directly into reality. they described this phenomenon as a sentient thing, seething with malevolence and a single emotion: A never-ending hunger for the souls of mortals.

 **-032.000.M42-** Within the following day, sixty-six warbands carry out sixty-six invasions all across the Imperium. Some are carried out in the neighboring sectors, while others are carried as far out as the borders of the eastern fringe. In several cases, the warp travel should have taken several months or even years, but all fleets enter into the warp and transition out of it at precisely the exact moment, regardless of distance. All invasions are carried out expertly and result in unmitigated successes, although what is gained from them, only the Warmaster knows.

 **-040.000.M42-** The Tau claim world after world in the eastern fringe, with no one to stop them. At first, the Imperium does not even know the Tau are responsible, but every fleet or expeditionary force sent to investigate disappear without a trace.

 **-258.000.42-** The Aeris system, part of the fabled Ultramar region, comes under attack by Tau forces. Heavily fortified and protected by the legendary Ultramar defense fleets and Auxilia, the system held out far longer than the rest, and this time a report of the invasion reached the wider Imperium. The Imperial strategist's theories were confirmed with the pict capture of a giant sphere in space, the size of a small planetoid, indicating that the Tau had developed a new and powerful weapon to level the playing field in space. The Aeris system is taken, and the Ultramarines vow vengeance.

 **-112.001.M42-** An Ultramarine chapter fleet departs from Macragge to the Aeris system to exact revenge. Led by no less than two of the chapter's Battle Barges and several strike cruiser escorts, and carrying a full third of the chapter's marines, the fleet clashes with the Tau over Aeris.

 **-187.001.M42-** Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka, the green Prophet of the Waaagh! and the greatest Ork warlord of his time is at the forefront of the war between the Orks of the Octavius system and Hive fleet leviathanu. Under his command, the green tide is pushing back the Tyranids, but the Hive Mind has a special asset to deploy against him...

 **-239.001.M42-** The chaos infiltration and subsequent invasion of the Forge World Ryza are successful. After decades of fighting Waaagh! Grax, the weakened Forge World fell to the first combined New Justaerin invasion.

Lead by none other than Warmaster Abaddon himself, The disparate Justaerin forces infiltrated and sabotaged crucial elements of the forge's defense structure. The final straw was when a warband led by an unknown warrior in the colors of the Alpha Legion managed to infiltrate into the central command spire of the Forge World, assassinate the ruling Magos, and upload a devastating Scrap Code into the central network of the planet.

The demonically infused piece of electronic warfare corrupted everything it touched into the service of the warp and its daemons. In mere weeks much of the planet was mutated into servitude, with hideous combinations of man and machine standing where once pristine and blessed forges stood. The majority of the tech priests were corrupted as well - the ones who resisted were swiftly defeated by the Justaerin forces and their new weapons of war.

 **-350.001.M42-** After a long and costly recon mission, the Ryza system is declared beyond saving and the Forge World's name is struck from the annals of loyalists forces of the Adeptus Mechanicus. The irretrievable knowledge and expertise in plasma technology which was the Forge's hallmarks are forever lost to mankind and the Mechanicus.

By that time, a sizable contingent of the dark Mechanicus has already settled on the planet. The corrupted tech-priesthood of Ryza greet them with open arms, joining their ranks and sharing with them the most guarded secrets of plasma making. The "Furnace of shackled stars" is turned completely into a daemon world and soon disappears from its current orbit altogether, sucked into the Warp and deposited in the center of the eye of terror.

 **-085.002.M42-** A single, heavily damaged Battle Barge limps back to Macragge. The last force of space marine survivors are aboard, and they tell grim stories about new technologies and weapons used by the aliens unlike anything encountered before, and of a terrible new class of warships created by the aliens called "Battle Spheres". They also tell of a report from the chapter's librarians, regarding the Tau Battlesphere - that they possess a shard of something in their core, something that carries a god-like power in the warp...

 **-098.002.M42-** The Angels of Iron homeworld of Xothya is lost to a Chaos invasion lead by The New Justaerin. Armed with warped plasma weapons undoubtedly created in the mutated depth of the fallen Forge of Ryza, the Chaos Veterans overwhelm the defending space marines and defeat them piecemeal, ambushing them in the halls of their own Fortress Monastery and using their new weapons to great effects against the defenders.

After a relatively short and one-sided battle the Marines are annihilated, their geneseed vaults are raided and offered as sacrifice to the dark gods, granting Abaddon and his followers' exceptional favor.

 **-099.002.M42-** Abaddon's sacrifice is accepted, and with the help of his most trusted sorcerers the third part of his plan is fulfilled – the spell known as "Abaddon's decree".

Seeing as his warriors are few in number, but tasked with nothing less than the destruction of the Imperium of man, Abaddon knew that he was hopelessly outnumbered. No matter how skilled his warriors were, they were not immortal – and every battle cost the life of some of his irreplaceable veterans. Knowing that he may win every battle but still lose the war, Abaddon sought to bend the infinite powers of the warp to his claim once more.

The spell turned his Justaerin into something greater. While physically they were unchanged, the spell turned them into perpetuals – so long as the warbands complete their varying missions, every slain member would resurrect at their leader's side (or his successor, should he be one of the slain), his body unharmed and his wargear undamaged. With a small Legion of nigh-immortal chaos chosen at his side, the final phase of Abaddon's phase could truly begin.

 **-100.002.M42-** In the following months and years, Abaddon and his Justaerin warbands conduct numerous raids into Imperial territory. Some are grand invasions, involving numerous warbands and outside support, while others are singular infiltrations by less than a dozen veterans.

 **-157.002.M42-** Utilizing stealth probes and long range reconnaissance ships, the Imperium confirmed that the Tau occupation of the Aeris system is complete. less than a year after the disastrous counter-attack attempted by the Ultramarine, the Tau finished breaking through every last fortress and stronghold, overthrow the Imperial rule in those war-torn planets and replace it with fresh colonists from their empire. Such swift colonization was unheard of, considering the race's dependency on sub-light traveling and minimal ability to use the warp for transportation. Imperial strategists suspect the Tau new Battle Spheres and their extraordinary warp presence are related.

 **-164.002.M42-** In the Octavius system, Warlord Ghazghkull first lays eyes on the legendary Swarmlord, greatest of the Hive Tyrants and the Hive Mind's most powerful asset. This apex Tyranid creature has been re-created at the center of the Tyranid's, deep in the heart of the Tyranids leading Hive ship. It is the Hive Mind's answer to the Ork's Prophet of the Waaagh!

 **-236.002.M42-** A dictate from the High Lord of Terra is passed, condemning the entire Tau race to a death sentence and ending any alliance that might have been formed with the Empire. According to the decree, any collaboration with the Empire will be seen as an act of high treason and heresy against the Imperium. In the following days and weeks, millions of imperial personnel, from lowly hive workers to planetary governors have been executed for having collaborated with the Tau, even those who cut all ties with the Xenos long before the decree was enacted.

 **-364.002.M42-** Under the command of the high lords, a Crusade is declared against the aliens, to push back into Tau space and aid the beleaguered Ultramarines in the eastern fringe. The Crusade is initially separated between four star systems that lie between the white scars' homeworld of Chogoris and the salamanders' homeworld of Nocturne. Imperial high command has decreed the Crusade to be split into four smaller fleets, designated 'Talon 1' to 'Talon 4'. These fleets will be the main offensive into Tau space, the better to push the advantage over several fronts and crush the aliens completely. The nearby Astra Militarum worlds of Catachan and Tallaran contribute dozens of regiments to the offensive, the famous Catachan Jungle Fighters and Talarran Desert Raiders amass in their millions. As for the legendary Adeptus Astartes, a number of chapters swiftly join the Imperial Battle groups, chiefly amongst them are four chapters – the Salamanders, White scars, Raven Guard and Crimson Fists. The home worlds of these chapters were based in systems not far away, with the aforementioned Salamanders and White Scars being very close.

Many Officials in the Imperial high command voice concerns over drawing most of the military power from a region that dangerously close to the Ork empire of Octavius. They are ignored on account of the war between the Tyranids of hive fleet Leviathan and the Orks keeping both threats occupied.

 **-072.003.M42-** The Crusade, under the formal command of Warmaster Dmytrus Chistyakov, is given the order to mobilize. Entire fleets of Imperial Navy warships sail forth, vessels ranging from escort frigates to lumbering battleships all organized into four massive battle groups. Each group alone contains dozens of ships and hundreds of thousands of men from different regiments, with all their vehicles and weapons of war.

The Astartes chapters who committed to the Crusade considered it a holy mission from the Emperor himself, to avenge the death of their fellow battle brothers and eradicate the Xenos from former Astartes planets and regions. As such, these chapters have deployed nearly their entire chapter fleets to the cause of the crusade, especially those with closer ties to the Ultramarines who were privy to the reports surrounding their own naval defeat against the new Tau battleships. At the official launch point of the "Eastern Cleansing", as the Crusade was already being called, no less than fifteen Battle Barges were present, amassed from the four major chapters involved. These behemoths were spread between the different battle groups along with their respective chapter fleets, their considerable naval prowess matched only by the capabilities of their deadly cargo of space marines.

 **-096.003.M42-** The apocalyptic war between Hive Fleet Leviathan and the Orks of the Octavius system reaches a terrifying conclusion. The Swarmlord and Ghazkull duel amidst the greatest battle of the war. The battle is savage beyond imagination, and both opponents suffer crippling wounds, yet they keep on fighting. In the end, when their armies are exhausted and themselves nearly collapse from fatigue and injury, the two legends look upon one another and realize they are one and the same - a biological weapon of war, bent on annihilation and consumption of all the lesser races. Somehow, the two melt and fuse into one...

 **-111.003.M42-** Hive fleet leviathan and the Ork empire of Octavius or no more. Instead, a new race emerges - a nightmarish fusion of Ork and Tyranid, combining the two most warlike and numerous races into a biological killing machine of terrible power.

It appears the transformation is not yet complete, and more Ork biological matter will be needed to perfect the design. Neither the Imperium nor the other races have any information regarding this new threat, for now...

 **-237.003.M42-** The first engagement between 'Talon 3' fleet of the Crusade forces and the Tau empire, above the conquered Agri-world Quickshroud that had recently fallen. Although no "Battle Sphere" is detected, the Tau fleet put up a surprisingly difficult fight, managing to damage several warships before the overwhelming numerical advantage of the imperium prevails. Immediately after the last Tau ship is destroyed the Imperial Guard is dropped en mass to the surface, backed up by the space marines of the Salamander legion and a smaller contingent of Raven Guard.

This time the rumored technological advance of the Tau become apparent - the ground forces encountered barricades made from mobile energy shields, hovering gun platform and new stealth battlesuits, bigger and more powerful than before. Through overwhelming numbers the Imperium eventually reclaimed the world, suffering much more casualties than anticipated and stalling the advance for several weeks.

 **-296.003.M42-** By now, the other three Talons of the crusade have engaged Tau fleets over occupied Imperial worlds. While some reports of Talon's 3 attack on Quickshroud did get out to the Tau high command, they are caught off-guard by the scale of the Imperium's response. Despite this advantage, Imperial commanders grudgingly admit that the Tau's fleet has become significantly more powerful than in previous encounters, and some of the officers cautiously voice their opinion that dividing the fleet may be an invitation to disaster...

 **-314.003.M42-** Over the course of scant weeks, all contact is lost with the systems neighboring Octavius. No distress call or psychic message is intercepted. Some Imperial psykers and Astropath sense an unconfirmed presence that is somewhat similar to the Tyranid's notorious shadow in the warp, yet in a way different.

 **-360.003.M42-** Inexplicably, a military convoy passing near one of the silent systems surrounding Octavius vanishes. Investigations into that area reveal the remains of that convoy.

Imperial weapon experts are shocked to discover damage consistent with both Tyranids and Ork weaponry, along with strange ships that they swear seem like a hybrid of Ork and Tyranids designs. Most of these experts are executed on account of madness and the heresy of conjuring falsified information.

Th attack is dismissed as an opportunistic raid by the two warlike races and nothing more. Soon the incident is archived and lost in the monolithic data repository of the Administratum, unnoticed by the harried Imperium.

 **-363.003.M42-** At the end of the third year in the 42M, the Imperium is in a dire state - The Crimson Tear has opened, unleashing Abaddon's New Justaerin on the Imperium. Although it is still unaware of the exact nature of its assailants, the loss of Forge World Ryze, along with the Angels of Iron demise and numerous others disasters plague the Fledgling human Empire.

The Eastern Fringe is heavily assaulted by the Tau Empire's Fourth expansion sphere with brutal results - the noble Ultramarines are diminished and cut off, while the Crusade amassed to save them is starting to get bogged down by the surprisingly powerful Tau forces.

And in the Octavius system, a new and terrible power enters the field, an abomination of alien hybrid that grows unopposed in the middle ground between the Crusade itself and it's founding worlds, hungrily devouring entire systems all the while...

 **-364.003.M42-** Demian Caulfield is born in the Oxygos Hive on Mars.


	2. Chapter 2

**Note: Most of the chapters will be in the "timeline events" format like the last chapter. However, in order to clarify and delve deeper into some important events, I will add a more "story telling" part when needed. As always, thanks for reading and please leave a review!**

"I am no fool, lord Eliphas!" sneered Abaddon, his voice rich with mockery in his last remark. For a moment, Eliphas's twin dark hearts swelled with a feeling dangerously close to fear - Abaddon has personally seen Eliphas resurrected several times and his standing as a chaos lord preserved, but the word bearers dark apostle knew his mounting defeats - and deaths, were carefully calculated in Abaddon's mind. And if his usefulness will not prove enough, Eliphas was sure his end would be quick and violent... and a permanent one.

His eyes blazing with an undeniable spark, Abaddon continued "and I took great pains to ensure you are, ALL of you, are not fools either. This invasion will NOT be another Black Crusade! the Imperial lambs will expect the chaos horde, screaming ranks of madmen charging across an open battlefield. The bloodthirsty dogs that Angrons' Legion has become, the abominations of Mortarion, the dust automatons of Magnus and the hedonistic maniacs of Fulgrim... All of them will serve a part. They make excellent soldiers, I admit, and the distraction of their next assault on Cadia will be more than enough. But they are unfit for my final plan."

the spark in his eyes has turned into full blown fire. "Instead, this invasion will have only the hardest of veterans and the most disciplined of traitors. Those who won not only the battle against the material but prevailed over the warp as well - untouched by the madness and mutation of the old legions, that is rife with so many of the dark gods' servants."

The Warmaster calmed after that remark, and for a moment he paused, considering his next words. "I chose my champions with very specific requirements. I did not choose based on origin or allegiance, nor did I limit myself to chaos warriors who set foot on Terra during that ancient failed siege. No, I only seek those who rose to power through bitter hatred, pure skill, and utter belief in the truth of chaos undivided. Much like yourself, Eliphas."

The Dark Apostle took in the rare compliment. Abaddon was known as having zero tolerance and an iron-hard discipline, as expected from the Warmaster. But he also knew when to show respect to those who earned it. Although Eliphas have failed on several occasions, the ancient warrior was well experienced and dependable enough to be trusted and accepted into Abaddon's inner circle of warriors and advisors.

He paused again in contemplation. "Do you know of the Justaerins, Eliphas? of those mighty warriors from the days of the legions?"

The question was rhetoric - there was no way Eliphas would not know of these hallowed warriors, the bodyguards of Horus, commanded by none less than Abaddon himself. Eliphas has served from the days of the heresy itself, and though he never saw one in person, all of the "young" traitor legions knew who they were and what they did.

Yet Eliphas played his part. "Yes, my lord. the black armored veterans, mighty bodyguards of Horus, back when the legion was still named the Luna Wolves. The tip of Horus's pointed spear". Abaddon's features remained unchanged, but there was something about him that assured Eliphas the answer was enough for the Warmaster.

If anything, he appeared to lose his concentration for a moment, his eyes focusing on something far away. "The tip of the spear. that was our mission, and our purpose... to smash aside anything, win any battle, accompany our Primarch himself where the fighting was thickest."

Abaddon was lost in reminiscing for a moment, a moment that Eliphas has picked on, before continuing. "Such is the task of my crimson path. To smash aside any obstacle and cast down the corpse-Emperor. And the only way to accomplish this task is with warriors of that caliber. Of the old honor guard." something about Abaddon shifted as he approached this new subject. A moment before he seemed almost distracted - now his concentration could have burned a path through the hull of the battle barge and into the warp.

"And I fully intend to bring it back. When the Imperium falls, it will be by the hand of the Justaerins, once again under my command."

Eliphas the Inheritor thought he was beyond the emotion known as "surprise". As a soldier, he knew the experience of being ambushed. As a chaos lord, an unexpected betrayal was something he both committed and suffered. But Abaddon's statement had managed to do just that.

"what about the Bringers of Despair, my lord? their role within the Black Legion serves the same purpose of the Justaerins, is it not?" asked Eliphas in a cautious tone. The Bringers of despair are the terminator bodyguard of Abaddon and operate much like the Justaerin of old. In fact, the unit is made up mostly of surviving members and led by Falkus Kibre, the old commander of the unit, who served under Abaddon in the first company since the earliest days of the legion. "They are the recreation of my old unit, yes. but they do not carry the same aura around them. Their purpose is to sow chaos and despair wherever we tread, but it too shall change.

For I have searched the forces of chaos for champions whom I can trust. Champions that will recruit others, and lead their warbands of trusted veterans. An army of elite, bolstered by the warp, but not consumed by it. The most devoted of my warriors. Those champions will be my new Justaerin! the sixty-six disciples of chaos undivided!"

Abaddon bellowed. "I have Tested my warriors. Some were killed before the crimson path could begin. They will not be mourned. Only the strongest will serve as my new heralds of doom. my test was the same for all of them, yourself included, Eliphas. From the most experienced warrior to the newly created chaos Space Marine.

If the warrior would match the standards by which I judged the old honor guard, maintain himself against the mutations of the warp, and prove utterly dedicated to chaos undivided... then he will be one of my sixty-six champions. My new Justaerin!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey, everyone! sorry for the long pause, just as I finished writing chapter two I went on a week-long trip to the US. I'm Back now and catching up as quickly as I can. As always I would really appreciate some criticism and reviews, enjoy!**

 **-001.004.M42-** The first major naval clash between crusade forces and the Tau fleet.

An unexplainable warp engine incident causes the entire 'Talon 3' fleet to drop out of the warp near an unassuming dead world. There, the fleet is ambushed when a huge Spherical object translates into warp space, with a sizable Tau fleet surrounding it. At the very moment of translation, every psyker, astropath, and navigator are beset by an unbelievably powerful presence manifesting for a brief moment in the warp.

Initially, the Tau take the Imperial fleet by complete surprise, claiming many ships in the opening salvo. However, their fleet is positioned in a very defensive manner around the Sphere, clearly more interested in preserving it than their own ships. The bigger ships were right in the center of the formation, and the smaller vessels spread around in a wide radius leaving them dangerously exposed. Taking advantage of this ineffective formation, the Imperium hammers the Tau fleet with overwhelming numbers, quickly gaining the upper hand in the firepower exchange. Despite initial success, the Tau fleet seemed like it would break at any moment. It is then that the human psykers feel that warp presence again and the Battlesphere suddenly flares to life, bringing up all of its weapon systems.

The ship - if such a designation fit for a vessel the size of a small planetoid - was immensely powerful, putting out a staggering amount of firepower, beyond what was expected even for its size. It was also protected by a kind of shimmering deflector shield that seemed utterly impervious to normal weapons fire and could stop even torpedo and missile strikes. The renewed Tau fleet fought as hard as it could, and Imperial losses mounted despite a three-to-one Numbers advantage. In desperation, The Imperium led a charge by two Retribution class battleships, focusing their awesome firepower at nearly point blank range. The Sphere's deflector shield still held, although visibly weakened, and the distraction gave the Astartes vessels the opening they needed.

The Astartes - unable to launch boarding action while the shield is up, and possessing little naval firepower by decree - focus their sole attention on the remaining dozens of Tau ships. Pushing their engines to the limit, they engage the Tau vessels in savage boarding actions, and under the confusion of the wider battle manage to disable and destroy a sizable portion of the fleet.

Only then, when the Tau are on the verge of losing their key battleships and with the Battlesphere's shields visibly wearing, do the Xenos jump out - a sudden flare of power erupts from the huge warship, the warp presence is felt again, and every Tau ship - intact or otherwise - disappears with it as suddenly as they arrived. Curiously enough, the wreckage of those ships destroyed far enough from the Battlesphere remain in place, although no intact ship was in range at the time.

At the end of the conflict, is is estimated that as much as a third 'Talon 3' was utterly destroyed and no single ship made it out undamaged, many critically so. Both Retribution class battleships and the leading Astartes battle barge are heavily damaged, and the fleet at large requires months of difficult repair work, with the nearest Imperial fleet hub being weeks away.

-080.004.M42- A courier ship, carrying a delegate of commanding officers from 'Talon 3' reaches Warmaster Chistyakov's Emperor class flagship, the _Resolute_.

Aboard the _Resolute_ a council of war is held in the ship's grand auditorium, with representatives from every 'Talon' fleet and even the Astartes commanders attending. Seeing for themselves the amount of damage a single Battlesphere could do, many officers from 'Talon 3' protest that dividing the Crusade into smaller fleets is an invitation to disaster and that such a tactic is directly helping the Xenos divide-and-conquer the Emperor's forces.

The Warmaster is furious at their near-defeat and considers their doubts and protests a sign of heresy. Those officers are unceremonially shot on his command, in front of all to see. Chistyakov then orders the remaining officers to keep pushing into Tau space, instead of retreating to tend their beaten ships.

With the bodies of their fellow officers still decorating the hall, no one dares to protest these suicidal orders. Only the Astartes Commander - the Salamanders forgefather Vulkan He'stan, in command of 'Talon 3s'' Space Marines detachment - voices his concerns that without due repairs, the fleet would only look at a swift and costly defeat.

For a long moment, Chistyakov sits in his command throne, his face clearly showing his barely restrained. Even his personal advisors doesn't dare to point out the truth of the He'stan's statment. The Warmaster simply dismisses the whole assembly with the click of a button, not bothering to say another word.

 **-143.004.M42-** The pattern of lost worlds around Octavius grows enough to attract the attention of the local sector authority. However with most military assets in the area diverted to fueling the crusade, the scope of local response is very limited. Urgent requests for material are sent to segmentum command, but it is suspected that months or years may pass until a sufficient force can amass.

 **-157.004.M42-** The remaining officers return to 'Talon 3'. He'stan calls for a joint meeting between Astartes commanders and Imperial navy officers, regarding the troubling development with Warmaster Dmytrus and his apparently suicidal orders. For the time being, they will respect his authority, but several contingency plans are drawn and a plan of engagement is devised so the fleet will stand a chance in future battles. The damaged 'Talon 3' continues to advance into Tau-held space.

 **-203.004.M42-** One of the systems neighboring Nocturne, the Salamander's home system, falls silent. With half the chapter deployed in the crusade and the rest scattered in verious missions, the only defenders of nocturne are the 6th company under Captain Ur'zan Drakgaard and several scouts squads form the 7th. The grim Captain takes matters into their own hand, planning to undertake a series of reconnaissance missions into these quiet zones, unsure of what enemy could claim so many systems and remain anonymous.

 **-290.004.M42-** The Salamander's vessels arrive at the edge of the system's capital. The astartes initially plan to retake the system if possible, and mobilise most of their military power to follow close behind the recon element in case an oppartunity to save the center of Imperial authority arises. Instead, they watch in horror as at the hybrid alien fleet above the planet, vessels made of Tyranind chitin and Ork salvaged parts, raining down a stream of bio pods and ramshackle, fleshy-looking landing crafts to the planet surface.

A risky stealth mission is undertaken, and the scouts of the 7th company manage to avoid detection mostly by the xenos being distraced massacaring the human defenders. The scouts are shocked to discover the nightmarish fusion of Ork and Tyranid, and attempt to collect as much information about the xenos threat as they can. Their attmepts are cut short when the capital city falls to the alien assault and they are forced to retreat.

 **-294.004.M42-** The astartes process the grim revelation and the scope of the threat they face. Drakgaardin sends an urgent message to the Salamanders Chapter Master Tu'Shan, requesting reinforcments to be brought in case the xenos attempt to take nocturne, as well as contacting the Inquisitions alien hunters - the elite Deatchwatch - informing them of the new xenos threat and the dire threat it will impose to the Imperium at large.

 **-312.004.M42-** Tu'Shan, who leads his firedrakes in a differant warzone, decides to take his marines and make back to Nocturne. Using his authority as a respected Chapter Master, he ensures that the Ordo Xenos and the Deathwatch will send kill teams with the utmost speed. Contact is also made with Vulkan He'stan and the three battle companies he commands, so that they may be ready to return if the need arises.

 **-320.004.M42-** Furor Shield, the Deathwatch Watch Fortress overseeing the war in the Octavius system under the command of Watch Master Cadmus Ignis, recives word of the new alien threat from the Slamander.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, they have known of the exitance of the new xenos breed, refering to them as the "Green Devourer". However, under strict orders from Ignis, a proud and stubborn Dark Angel, only memebers of the Deathwatch and a Handful of lord Inquisitors from the ordo Xenos have been notified, fearing that knowladge of this event will lead to toal panic amonbg the wider Imperium, even amongst the astartes.

Now that it became clear the threat of the Green Devourer is one of the highest caliber and is about to threaten a space marine homeworld, the reluctant Watch Master sends one of the Deathwatch's extremely rare Battle Barge, along with several Inquisitorial Black ship escorts to the Nocturne system, carrying the entire complement of kill-teams available under his authority.

 **-342.004.M42-** Long range sensors, seeded by the Salamander's garrison as they were retreating back to Nocturne, reveal the Xenos hybrid fleet indeed is on the way to their home planet.

A desperate race of time has begun, between the Deathwatch and Salamanders forces returning to reinforce their homeworld, and the Green Devourer seeking to consume everything in their path...


End file.
